Martha Stewart again apologizes on air after homeless Halloween costume sparks backlash

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Martha Stewart has again publicly apologized to 'Today' show host Craig Melvin over her controversial homeless Halloween costume during a Friday appearance on the morning show.

Stewart admitted that her joke about Melvin was "stupid" and insisted she never intended to offend anyone. She also asked the public to forgive her for the costume, which sparked widespread criticism on social media.

Martha Stewart apologizes to Craig Melvin and calls her joke 'stupid'

During her appearance on 'Today’, Stewart explained to Melvin that, "I was making a joke, I was giving a talk and I just made a joke that you had spilled chocolate on me and I couldn’t wear that costume [I planned on wearing]."

At an event in Florida on November 3, Stewart had claimed that she was forced to change her Halloween costume at the last minute after Melvin accidentally spilled chocolate on her during an appearance on 'Today'.

The incident had taken place during a live segment on October 30, a day before Halloween. Melvin admitted, "But I did apologize for spilling the chocolate and we moved on." Stewart responded that she had also "moved on, now.”

“It wasn’t your fault about the chocolate," she clarified. "I made a mistake. I was stupid. What else can I say? I’m so sorry and I hope that my followers and my fans and the rest of America forgives me for doing something that was not meant in any way to be a bad thing."

Stewart also used the appearance to address the wider criticism, insisting, "I was not making fun of anybody or making light of the great problems that face our country. I certainly hope our new administration takes big steps to repair a lot of the damage that’s being done, and the poor, and the hungry and everyone else is taken care of better."

The businesswoman further revealed that she first realized her costume could be considered inappropriate after sharing a picture of it with her grandson.

Martha Stewart faced backlash over homeless Halloween costume

Stewart first sparked controversy over the weekend after sharing a photograph of herself wearing tattered clothing, with dirt smeared across her face and a sign asking for food. The sign in the Instagram photograph read, "I AM HUNGRY HELP ME!"

Although she quickly deleted the photograph, social media users had already captured screenshots and criticized the costume. Several users branded it "offensive," "gross" and "out of touch."

Hours after removing the photograph, Stewart issued a statement through her representative, stopping short of a direct apology. She maintained that the costume was intended to raise awareness about homelessness.

“Homelessness continues to remain one of America’s greatest challenges and ongoing crises, something that I care deeply about and I have spent a significant amount of time and effort supporting charities that combat this ongoing social epidemic," the statement read.

Despite her explanation, Stewart continued to face criticism on Instagram, with her account flooded with negative comments. Her costume also drew criticism from Jimmy Kimmel, who mocked the controversial outfit on his late-night show.